Matt. iii. 1-16. Luke iii. 1-23. MINISTRY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. BAPTISM OF JESUS.-TESTIMONY FROM HEAVEN, MARK i. 1-11. 1. The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God: 2. As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 3. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4. John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. 5. And there went out unto him all the land of Judea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. The beginning of the gospel revelation, was the fulfilment of the prophecy concerning John the Baptist, who went through the wilderness, the desert parts of Judea, calling upon men to consider their ways and repent, that they might be forgiven. As an emblem of the cleansing from sin which they needed and received, he baptized them with water. Thus he prepared the way before Christ. The way is prepared for him, that is, the heart is disposed to receive him, when men are brought to perceive their sinfulness, to perceive that they need one who shall reconcile them to God, and enable them to serve him. And such was the effect of John's preaching upon those persons. They con * Mal. iii. 1; Isaiah xl. 3. 1 fessed their sins. Yet they were not heathens. The people whom he addressed, were Jews by birth and education, in covenant with God, and possessing the Scriptures. But it seems they had lived very unsuitably to these privileges; and now that they were led by a faithful teacher to reflect, they found much to repent of, and confessed their sins. It is not, therefore, always enough, that a knowledge of God should exist in a land, for this existed in Judea; nor is it enough to possess the Scripture, for these possessed the Scripture; nor is it enough to be made the people of God by covenant, for these had been dedicated to him in circumcision, as Christians are by baptism; yet these, when faithfully dealt with, had a new life to begin. This is still often the case, with those who have always had the Scriptures within their reach, and enjoyed the means of grace; they have not applied the word of God to their hearts, or seen "the truth as it is in Jesus," or lived according to their baptismal vows. It often pleases God, by a ministry more earnest or more energetic than they had before been used to, to bring these to a better mind; they confess their sins, repent, and not merely by nominal profession, but by real faith, believe the gospel. Every Christian, therefore, should be led to inquire, how far it may be with him, as it was with the Jewish nation at the time of our Lord's coming. He must not expect a John the Baptist to awaken him. He has “Moses and the prophets;" he has the Scriptures of truth; "let him hear them;" let him frame his heart and life according to them. 6. And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey. 7. And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.3 8. I indeed have baptized you with water; but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. Thus John fulfilled the course assigned him, by preparing the way for the ministry of Jesus. John showed them their need of change; he showed them the sinfulness of their lives, and called them to "the baptism of repentance;" but One who was to come after him, whose messenger he was, could alone renew their hearts by the purifying influence of the Holy Ghost, and enable them to live as those who have been "called to holiness," and are looking forward to a heavenly kingdom. 9. And it came to pass, in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John is Jordan. 10. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: 11. And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thoa art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. It may be said here, as was said on another occasion, This voice from heaven came not for Christ's sake, but for our sakes. It was the solemn testimony of God to the person and character of Christ. It directed those who heard it to the Saviour who 3 Who is higher above me, than a master above the lowest of his servants. was come to bless them, and to the salvation which God had prepared for them. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Now the need of our constantly studying Scripture, is that our minds may be brought into conformity with the mind of God. "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him."4 But we, we Christians, are not of nature, but of grace; we are not to retain the sentiments of the natural man: and let us ask ourselves, how far our mind has been brought to agree with the mind of God, who is well pleased with his beloved Son. "What think we of Christ?" Do we feel that his gospel; the atonement it reveals, the covenant it offers, the promises of grace which it conveys, afford us exactly that comfort which our hearts are in need of, and our condition requires? This it will do, in proportion as we understand the holiness of God, the weakness of our own hearts, and the solemnity of the judgment which is to come. We find ourselves stained with the guilt of sin; but "his blood cleanseth from all sin." We are not sufficient of ourselves to do any thing as of ourselves; but he has engaged to "work in us both to will and to do." We are justly condemned as transgressors against the divine law; but "there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus." We are "born in sin, and the children of wrath ;" but he is revealed to us under the title of SAVIOur. And we receive him as such; with this title we are well pleased. We receive him as the author and finisher of our faith; we look to him as the guide 1 Cor. ii. 14. and helper of our course; and we welcome him, Matt. iv. 1-11. Luke iv. 1-13. LECTURE LXXV. THE TEMPTATION.-CERTAIN APOSTLES CALLED. MARK i. 12-27. 12. And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness. 13. And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him. It was ordained that our Lord should undergo the temptation of Satan: and now that the proper season was arrived, the Spirit driveth him, vehe mently urges him into the wilderness, where it was to take place. His nature impelled him to do his heavenly Father's will. Our sinful nature 1 |